Jehovah 'Takes Up the Controversy'

In the concluding verses of Isaiah's thrilling prophecy, Jehovah graphically describes events leading up to the day of his anger.  We read: "Jehovah himself comes as a very fire, and his chariots are like the storm wind, in order pay back his anger with sheer rage and his rebuke with flames of fire.  For as fire Jehovah himself will for a fact take up the controversy, yet, with his sword, against all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah will certainly become many." -Isaiah 66:15, 16.

Those words should help Isaiah's' contemporaries realize  the seriousness of their situation.  The time is approaching when the Babylonians, as Jehovah's executioners, will come up against Jerusalem, their chariots stirring up clouds of dust just like storm wind. What a fear-inspiring sight that will be!  Jehovah will use the invader to carry out his won fiery judgments against all unfaithful Jewish "flesh."  It will be as if Jehovah himself were fighting against his people.  His "sheer rage" will not be turned back.  Many Jews will fall as "the slain of Jehovah."  In 607 B.C.E., this prophecy is fulfilled.

Is Jehovah justified in 'taking up the controversy' against his people?  Certainly!  Many times in our discussion of the book of Isaiah, we have seen that  the Jews, though supposedly dedicated to Jehovah have been steeped in false worship-and Jehovah has not been blind to their actions. We see this again in the following words of the prophecy:  " ' Those sanctifying themselves and cleansing themselves for the gardens behind one in the center, eating the flesh of the pig and the loathsome thing, even the jumping rodent, they will all together reach their end, is the utterance of Jehovah." (Isaiah 66:17)  Are those Jews "sanctifying themselves and cleansing themselves" in order to prepare themselves for pure worship!  Clearly not.  Rather, they are engaging in pagan purification rites in special gardens.  Thereafter, they greedily devour the flesh of the pig and of other creatures , considered unclean under the Mosaic Law. -Leviticus 11:7, 21-23.

What a disgusting situation for a nation in a covenant relationship with the only true God!  but consider: A comparably disgusting situation exists today among the religions of Christendom. These similarly claim to serve God, and many of their leaders make a pretense of piety.  Yet, they sully themselves with pagan teachings and traditions, proving themselves to be in spiritual darkness.  How great the darkness is!-Matthew 6:23; John 3:19, 20.

Next time: 'They Will Have to See My Glory'

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001